Five Times Jack Harkness Revived Alone
by Galadriel1010
Summary: A progressive 'five times' story of how Ianto came to be there for Jack when he woke up in Children of Earth. Spoilers for Parting of the Ways, Last of the Timelords, Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang, Sleeper and Dead Man Walking, no CoE references.


**Author's Note:** Written for Bedawyn, who asked in the TW Genre Fiders comm for a story about the first time Ianto was there for Jack when he woke up. I couldn't think of one, so I said I'd write one lol. It's a bit later than I intended. Also my first 'five things' story.

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1) Jack gasped in relief and confusion, on the alert instantly for the return of the Daleks. The cold was making his thoughts and movements sluggish as he staggered to his feet, leaving his useless weapons on the floor. He didn't understand why it was so cold – come to think of it, he didn't understand how he was alive. Everyone else had fallen, and he was left standing once again – he was always the one left standing.

There was a pile of dust in the middle of the corridor and he crouched by it, spilling some back into the pile form his hand. It was smooth and cold, metallic almost, the consistency of icing sugar rather than sand, especially in the way it stuck to his fingers, and it was deceptively heavy. Dalek he realised, the scourge of the universe reduced to a pile of dust.

His legs were stiff as he straightened up again. He needed to find the Doctor and make sure that he'd survived too, then he could use his Vortex Manipulator to take them back to Rose and the TARDIS. Maybe not though... he felt the noise before he heard it, a singing in his mind that heralded the noise of the TARDIS arriving – Rose had done it, she'd come back for them. He turned and ran to meet her.

2) It was a challenge now, dragging himself back. Over the last year it had got harder and harder to bring himself back, harder to remember why he was doing it. The black emptiness clawed at him and dragged him back, and what was there outside in the land of the living? Betrayers and betrayed, those who hurt him and those he hurt. They were relying on him now though, relying on him to bounce back and fight and carry on. The Doctor was relying on him.

He managed to stay quiet and turned, assessing the situation as fast as he could through the cold, groggy fog. The fight had moved past him and left him, and the UNIT soldiers were fighting for their lives, two had already fallen. Jack pushed himself up and grabbed his gun, staggering to the door of the TARDIS and fumbling it open, then fell back against the door and gathered himself to destroy the Paradox Machine.

3) Coming back to life felt like dying in reverse, but with more effort and added burning cold, so the more painful the death the more painful the return was. As the darkness gave him up, he could feel his spine realigning and healing. He sobbed as he felt a crack that had an air of finality and pushed himself down out of his agonising position, tipping his head back to rest against the top of the bench and pressing his back flat against it. The cold of the bench and its rigid support helped to lessen the pain and he was able to take in his surroundings better; the night was quiet, dry and empty. Utterly empty. John was long gone, along with Jack's wrist strap, and who knew where the team had got to?

He pushed himself up and took an unsteady step forwards, then closed his eyes and swayed as a fresh wave of pain swept up his back. A familiar engine roar made him open his eyes and plaster on a severe smile for his team, one that said 'I'm back and there's work to do', and he stepped up to the kerb with his hands in his pockets as Gwen pulled up next to him. Ianto got out of the passenger seat and held the door for him whilst Tosh moved into the middle seat in the back next to Owen to make room for Ianto. "Everyone okay?" he asked, looking over his shoulder.

"We'll be okay," Owen gritted out, tense with something more than anger. "Where's Hart?"

Jack returned his gaze to the road ahead and straightened his back again. "At the Hub, he got the cannister and my wrist strap."

"He killed you?" Gwen asked and Jack just nodded. She smiled grimly. "Well we'll have quite a surprise for him then, won't we?"

4) He'd closed his eyes in the front seat, leaned back and quietly bled to death. Coming back he regretted that; fighting it would have made it hurt more, but the blackness gripped at him too hard when he gave in to it. Gwen was staring straight ahead, just flicking her gaze to him occasionally as he steadied his breathing again and managed to give her a reassuring smile. "How far off are we?"

"About ten minutes away from the Hub," she told him. "Go back to sleep."

He nodded and closed his eyes again, headache throbbing from the bridge of his nose right around to the back of his head. Gwen and Beth talked quietly, Beth thought he was still injured rather than recovering from death, apparently. When the sound of the engine started to echo around the underground car park Jack opened his eyes and looked around, making a show of wincing at his injury, then gave Gwen a reassuring smile. "Not too bad," he told her silent question. "I'll live."

Ianto was waiting for them and surprised Jack by opening his door for him, waiting there to close it like a footman. Jack gripped the top of the door arch with one hand to steady himself and fixed his gaze on his feet, so he was surprised when Ianto took his elbow in a strong, firm grip to support him. He smiled at him gratefully and let Ianto support him so that he could shut the door, then sagged against it as Gwen got Beth down into the Hub. "I'm okay," he reassured Ianto. "Just give me a minute."

"As long as you need," Ianto told him, releasing Jack's elbow and running his hand down his sleeve, fingers lingering over the pulse in his wrist and brushing over the back of his hand before he stepped back to give Jack some space. "Do you need a hand down to the Hub?"

He shook his head, he was already feeling better. "No, I died, just need to wait for the blood flow again."

Ianto nodded and stepped forwards again, straightened Jack's collar and turned him to run a hand down the back of his coat. "No permanent damage done," he said, slowing his hand and rubbing in a circle in the small of Jack's back.

5) Jack gasped fiercely, fighting to alertness to protect his team. He dragged as much air as he could into his burning lungs and choked on it, hot lungs and cold muscles fighting against each other. A warm hand landed on his leg, then moved to his back when he leaned forwards and rubbed soothing circles whilst his breathing calmed enough for him to hear over it. "...okay Jack, it's me. Come on, talk to me."

"Ianto?" he asked hoarsely. "Where are we, is everyone..."

"You're in my car," Ianto told him and his hand disappeared so that Ianto could change gear. "We're on our way to the hospital, Martha's... I don't know really, it's not good though."

"The Doctor will kill me," he groaned. "She'll be okay, she has to be okay."

"Yeah," Ianto's tone was firm and reassuring. "We're nearly there, you're okay."

Jack nodded, not knowing which of them he was reassuring, and settled back into the seat whilst the world cleared.

And one time he didn't.

The Weevil's claws had ripped through his shirt into his chest – digging deep, grazing across his ribs and ripping out viciously. He screamed in pain and shock and staggered back against the wall, hands flooding with his own blood as he sank to the floor, tipping his head back so that he couldn't see the extent of his injuries. Ianto was still there and he had the Weevil under control, good thing as Jack couldn't help him now. White hot pain turned grey and then black and he sank into it.

The blackness gave him up and he fought through the grey fog to the point where the pain flared again. Gasping and choking he curled forwards as much as he could to relieve the agony, but someone pulled him back and a warm hand rubbed up and down his bare chest in smooth strokes. "I'm here, Jack," Ianto reassured him, breath hot against his ear. "I'm here, you're alright."

He kept his eyes closed and turned in Ianto's arms, resting his forehead against his shoulder and sliding his arms around Ianto's waist. "You're alright?" he asked as soon as he could. "The Weevil..."

"Is sedated in the boot," Ianto told him calmly. "I'm fine, just breathe, okay?"

He did that, breathing in Ianto's smell and feeling his warmth seeping into his own chilled muscles. Ianto's arms shifted and tightened around him and Jack sank into them gratefully. Eventually he raised his head enough to reach up and kiss Ianto. "Thank you," he whispered against his lips.

Ianto smiled and stroked a hand through his hair. "I couldn't let you do that alone, not if I had a choice."


End file.
